Big changes for downtown Mount Clemens entertainment

Major changes are coming to the summer entertainment lineup in downtown Mount Clemens this year.

Out is the Bud Light Riversight and Sound Summer Concert Series, replaced by Nashville in the Neighborhood on Wednesday nights, a new program with country radio station WYCD-FM (99.5) presenting live bands.

Other changes include:

The city's Farmers Market -- a popular, open-air market where area farmers sell locally grown produce on Saturday mornings -- will expand its schedule with a move into the city's downtown on select Wednesday afternoons

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The All American Jam, a three-day, family-friendly fair that replaces the Stars & Stripes Festival, has been moved to June 21-23

There will be only one Bud Light Car Show/Cruise, but it will have more activities including oldies station WOMC-FM (104.3) and a food truck court

An Oktoberfest event featuring German and craft beer, food and entertainment will be held Sept. 27-29

The Independence Day fireworks display will be held June 21 along the Clinton River banks, but it's unclear if a riverfront concert will be held that night

The Uptown Friday Night Concert Series will return with six shows

Plans are in the works for a new two-day culinary festival featuring various TV chefs

The Italian Festival, which opened to rave reviews in the downtown last year, will not return as it moves over to Freedom Hill in Sterling Heights. Officials are working to create a new international festival, but that may not happen until 2014.

The new additions to the downtown schedule were outlined Wednesday to the city's Downtown Development Authority board.

Board members said the changes are welcome news following the unexpected departure of the Stars & Stripes Festival, which typically attracted tens of thousands of people to Mount Clemens in recent years but will now be held at Freedom Hill, along with the loss of the Italian Festival.

"I'm happy this report is so much sunnier than last month's," said DDA board member Bobby Staszak of GroupGolfer.

The biggest change to the DDA schedule is the elimination of the Bud Light Riversight concert series, a staple in the city for the past 27 years.

Sponsored by Petitpren Inc. of Mount Clemens, the free Friday night series along the riverfront was the first of its kind for a municipality in the Detroit area.

Audience members would bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on the grass and enjoy concerts by regional bands such as The Sun Messengers, Air Margaritaville, and Danny D, along with national acts including Badfinger and Elvis Aaron Presley Jr.

Greg Hillman, marketing director for Petitpren Inc., said the company's decision to move away from the riverfront shows and support the country music series was based on input from downtown business owners. He said their concern was concert fans too often went home after the shows instead of frequenting downtown shops and restaurants.

"We are shifting our investment based on the needs of the community and the desire from downtown businesses to bring people back into the city," Hillman said. "We saw this as an opportunity to achieve a few things: help the businesses, shift the resources and rejuvenate the music program."

Paul Boone, owner of Orleans Billiards Cafe, agreed.

"The whole idea of having events downtown was to get people walking the streets and seeing what Mount Clemens has to offer," Boone said. "This is a very good step in that direction."

DDA members said they had considered making the move from the riverfront several years ago, but lacked a portable stage for the bands. Under the agreement with WYCD, the radio station will not only provide a stage, but will also bring in country dancers to entertain the crowd and provide line dancing lessons leading up to the concerts.

The country series, which will become an annual event, will have six shows this year and possibly more in the years to come, featuring up-and-coming country bands and singers.

"We are very grateful for all Petitpren has done for the city by sponsoring the river concerts over the past 27 years," said Michelle Weiss, retail coordinator for the DDA. "And we're very grateful for their continued participation in our new venture. This will rejuvenate our summer schedule."